Highlighted Essay:The Political Economy of Character Assassination: Who Invests in and Profits from the Discourse of Hate?
by Jonathan Michael Feldman
The tragic political murders in Arizona have led many to focus on the political culture of violence there. Equally troubling, however, is the larger national political economy and patronage system which supports right-wing media. Bob Herbert at The New York Times recently wrote of the U.S. that, “We need to face up to the fact that this is an insanely violent society.” Yet, the mainstreaming of violence is not only caused by the proliferation of gun culture. It’s also supported by the concentration and centralization of right-wing controlled media capital.

Highlighted Essay:After Tucson: The Right-Wing Media Offensive
by Political Research Associates
Conservative pundits have been quick to criticize as opportunistic the suggestion that Jared Lee Loughner, the accused shooter in the January 8 Tucson killing spree, might have been influenced by right-wing conspiracy theories or violent rhetoric.